Rice County Commissioners Committee of the Whole/Work Session. August 15, 2023
Present: Malacha, Hoisington, Underdahl, Purfeerst,
Absent: Docken
Public comments (3” each) available during this meeting, pertaining to topics already raised.
Finance: Annual Comprehensive Financial Report for the year ended December 31, 2022
Required to communicate with the Board according to statements on auditing standards. Statements are clean, no difficulties with the audit, disagreements with staff. Reports staff easy to work with, friendly, everything was ready when needed to work through the audit.
Internal controls communications: centralized system working well. Three years without significant deficiencies. No internal control weaknesses, no compliance issues.
State requirements showed no items to communicate this or last year, compliance or controls.
2022 : Total fund balance approx. 30 billion. Unrestricted monies cover approx. 5 + months, meets requirements, somewhat skewed by the increased costs due to construction this past year. In solid ground financially.
86 million in revenue- intergovernmental (highway tax, roads, big bump) and taxes, property and sales both increased. 2022 improved over 2021, revenues, 10.2 % increase, seeing new normal, post pandemic.
Expenditures: Overall, 25 million dollars increase in expenditures, mostly in construction, 34% increase from previous year.
Debt: 44 million bonds issued. All debt payments due were paid. Two enterprise funds, with about 9 months reserves, total. Landfill expenses increased, calculation determined by actuary, paper expense, up about a million dollars. This is a calculation which is difficult to predict. ( no further explanation offered)
Summary: Rice County is in good shape, financially. Governmental and proprietary funds in good shape. (No questions or public comment)
Outside Agencies:
- Buckham West: Karla Pearson, new executive at Buckham West. 8000 dollars request for funding for Buckham West (Faribault Community Center) for next year. Seniors 65+ now a population larger than K-12. Currently, 34% Rice County age 50 +. Buckham West depends on volunteerism to support much of the programming, part of the mission and supports health of seniors. Congregant dining M-F, clothing shop downtown Faribault, staffed with volunteers Nail clinic several times per month, flu shot clinic in the fall, staffed with nurses. Small grant requests for special projects, bulk of income through membership. Increasing both programming and volunteer opportunities, serving ages 50+. (Thanks from Malecha for work being done)
- 50 North: Keri Hjelmgren, executive director. Thanks for financial year given 2023- lost about 400 members due to Covid, now all back, plus more members. New programming, new programming coordinator. Unique request, for funding, 10,000 dollars to enhance county wide-50 North to become the “go to “site for older adults, connector for services, serving older adults. One effort is for Rice County to become a dementia friendly community, promote support/collaboration with Family Service Rochester, with a person located in 50 North, to connect to various services. Awareness building and community building through the Remember Project, dealing with different stages dementia through plays, conversation, over the course of 12-18 months. The cost of the project is about 20,000. Age Friendly Northfield has pledged 5000 dollars, Dept HHS MN has pledged 5000, so have ½ of the needed amount. Underspecified dementia is number one cause of death in Rice County. ( Malecha thanked Keri for her hard work)
- Lonsdale Public Library: thanks for substantial increase in funding last year. Serving rural Rice County. 2023 first of three-year plan to increase wages for part time employees, to obtain and retain them. Not quite back from Covid pandemic but improving. Just completed summer reading program, with 270 children participating. Variety of programs, including dance, nature programs, reading, both adult and children. Looking ahead to continue popular programs, support early literacy, increase large print collection. Requesting continuing support for next year. Staffing is sufficient now (per question from Purfeerst) (Malecha offered thanks for hard work)
- Rice County Soil and Water Conservation District: Staff stable over past 5 years, with three technicians, outreach, administrative person. 2.5 staff covered by Rice County funds, others with govt funds. Education about conservation in county, events in various communities in the county. Education efforts successful in all third-grade classes in Faribault, about pollinators, pocket prairies, hope to expand this to other communities in the county. Equipment rental is popular, seeder, drills. Tree sale with increased sales, over 20,000 trees this year, particularly due to loss of ash trees. Native plant sale, more urban focused, over 6000 plants sold, all pollinators. Conservation work included stream bank stabilization, grass waterways. Capacity funds: last year of receiving these funds. Cannon River Watershed Joint Powers Board, involving 6 counties. 1 million dollars biannually focused on this watershed, good amount in Rice County. 2024: compliance reviews, soil erosion ordinance investigation, implementation of projects (see above), review wetland sites (compliance), continuation educational offerings, urban conservation efforts. Dept Natural Resources grant to assist with tree replacement, funding will be coming via grant. Financial request same as last year since about 400,000 will come from state. (about 300,000). Between the two, expect shortage of about 5600. Building that houses this dept will be sold, have until Feb to find new home, anticipate 30-35,000 new lease, will affect the budget. Question: (Malacha) could trees be sold in smaller quantities than bundles of 20? Increased labor to undo the bundles…. How about fruit trees? (Purfeerst – thanks to the work being done. )
- Southeastern EMS (via zoom). Don Haugie in Rochester. Education and support along with public education. Serves 11 counties, with one county commissioner on each board. Also reps from first responders, Mayo. Medical Direction consortium, since 1994. Many ambulance services in small towns, had doctors in those towns. (must have Medical director with ambulance services). Program offered medical directors, training for the first responders, about 38 instructors, to each location 5 times each year for training and follow up- maintain certification for the first responders. 265 classes in 2022, 3,300 people attend those classes (first responders) in SE MN. Critical Incidence Stress Management Program, for the first responders. Many of them are volunteers, from all walks of life, increased trauma with being a first responder. Team (of peers, with experience, including mental health provider) can be called, dispatched to the involved community to work with those directly involved in a given incident. Small group, within 72 hours of the incident. 2022: 22 debriefings, involving 192 individuals. In 2023, have already had 21 debriefings with 271 individuals. Nearly ½ occurred in one month, the folks doing the debriefing needing to have help as well. Certification of the ambulance drivers is another program, offered 4 times per year. Grant through MN dept health, dispensing of NARCAN to first responders, law enforcement agencies. All law enforcement officers must now have 2 doses NARCAN on them while on duty. (Question: outdate on Narcan- 2.5 years).
- SEMCAC: Jeff Wines. Title three congregant dining in Faribault, 2 sites, senior nutrition program offers 5 days per week for folks over the age 60. 16,000 + meals in 2022. No charge for the meal, donations accepted, ask is 4 dollars, if possible, usual donation is 2.5 dollars. Funding through county, state, federal grants. Funding from Rice County helps offset lease for kitchen used to prepare meals. Congregant dining offers meals but also fellowship, socialization, exercise opportunities. Allocation of 4000 dollars is the ask for this next year. State allocation through older American act will see decrease in funding to some rural programs as of 2024. Request advocacy from county commissioners to help with trying to get those funds increased again.
- Southern MN Initiative Foundation: Melissa O. Early childhood support (in middle national childcare crisis, lack of providers) providing free training to providers, last session had 700 attendees- no charge. Grants of up to 20,000 available to organizations supporting childhood/social/emotional skill building, HCI in Northfield is a partner. Books given out annually, to help kids build libraries at home. Mentoring also available. Entrepreneur support, grant making in area entrepreneur support, working with DEED, to get funds into rural MN. Prosperity Initiative to provide mentoring minority entrepreneurs. Small town grant fund, for small towns. Paint the Town program to support murals, art expression. (Underdahl: compliments work done, ability to stay focused.)
Highway: Dennis Luebbe: Starting to look at next year’s budget. Legislature created lots of funding for roads/bridges, so looking to apply for grants that will be available. Highway safety monies will apply for those (federal) grants. State Park Road account money allows for grants for improvements roads in/into/near state parks. New Federal Bill has a carbon reduction program, which may involve money for paved shoulders, possible money there. Quarter of a million to over two million possible dollars.
Update of transportation Plan, working on this- five to six township bridges to look at in the 10-year plan. Working on communication with townships, hiring of consultants (covered by state money), move projects ahead. October 24 to award contract for 6-legged roundabout. Met (and Malacha) with concerned citizens in Northfield regarding Wall Street project. No viable candidates so far for engineering position, approved in April. Looking ahead to possible retirements in the highway maintenance dept, to minimize absences. Mowing; shoulder, down to ditch, but not the bottom of ditch and back up to the right of way other side, to maximize resources. Construction programs moving along, despite recent rains. Question (Purfeerst): at intersection township and county roads, who is responsible for keeping clear sight lines? Township- for their roads, county for theirs. Usually concerns are reported via phone, all investigated. Maintenance of stop sign is county highway dept.
Finance: Paula O’Connell: Finance Dept Update: Getting used to new space, recently moved. Description in brief, of various staff duties, including accounting assistant, financial officer, and Chief Financial Officer. Audit and Compliance Reporting ongoing.
Received Certificate of Achievement for Excellence Financial Reporting Award for 31st year.
Questions (Malacha- what is the dept budget)- “very little”
Adjournment
